Value Stream Mapping: How to Visualize Work and Align Leadership for Organizational Transformation

APPENDIX BOutpatient Imaging Services Value Stream

Improving the outpatient imaging value stream was selected as a demonstration project for a hospital that was just beginning its Lean journey. This value stream was selected for the hospital’s first experience with value stream mapping for several reasons: (1) the hospital was facing increased competition from a new neighboring imaging center and had lost market share; (2) the referring physicians had been complaining about excessive turnaround times for receiving reports; and (3) the department had experienced high technologist turnover for the previous two years.

As the charter was being created, it became obvious that the mapping team needed to narrow its scope, so the team decided to focus ...